


The Sound of Love

by yankeetooter



Category: Chernobyl (TV 2019), The Sound of Music - Rodgers/Hammerstein/Lindsay & Crouse
Genre: Love, M/M, Music
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:47:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21814660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yankeetooter/pseuds/yankeetooter
Summary: A hardened retired military man and a outspoken, but caring scientist gradually fall in love.
Relationships: Valery Legasov/Boris Shcherbina
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, please forgive the venue, but I couldn't resist after watching this with my Mom tonight. I have no idea how long it will take to write, so bear with me.
> 
> In this story, love and music are equated, so no, Chernobyl isn't a musical...but it is a love story.
> 
> This is not completely canon, obviously, including the ending.
> 
> Some chapters are going to be pretty short.

Opening...

Valery is in his favorite place, his lab. Outside is a beautiful day, but Valery is oblivious. He can only see the beauty of his equations, the poetry of chemical reactions.

And...a distant clock sounding reminds him. He's late for his meeting at the Kremlin! He dashes off, but has to return to grab his notes, then sprints out of the building, running for the Kremlin as fast as he can.


	2. How do you solve a problem like Valery?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Kremlin is fed up with Valery, but Gorbachev has a solution.

The various members of the Chernobyl Commission are standing around, awaiting one Valery Legasov's arrival and his report. He is late. Deputy Chairman Shcherbina has gone ahead to assess the situation. 

While the men wait they walk around complaining about the scientist, Gorbachev listening all the while.

_He's a bumbling clutz!_

_And the way he dressed, like he has no self-respect!_

_He's always late, but then he apologizes, as if that will make it okay._

_Why is he on this commission anyway?_

A younger general, one Tarakanov, approaches Gorbachev. "I'd like to say a word on his behalf... Legasov makes me smile." Gorbachev can only shake his head.

The complaints continue...

_He's always so distracted! He doesn't stand still long enough to listen to you!_

Gorbachev finally raises his hand to silence the complaints. "He's a scientist."

Walking back to his office, he is nearly bowled over by Valery tearing down the hall.

Shaking his head, Gorbachev says, "See me in my office in ten minutes, Legasov."

\--------------------

Ten minutes later, Valery enters Gorbachev's office, expecting a harsh reprimand.

"Sit down, Valery."

Valery is astonished. Gorbachev's tone is gentle, and the use of his first name does not go unnoticed.

"Valery, maybe this job is not for you..."

Valery makes as if to protest. Working at the Kremlin as a scientific advisor is an honor. Is he being let go then?

Gorbachev puts a hand up to forestall any argument. " I know you like it here, but you're just not fitting in. I have decided to send you to Chernobyl to work with Deputy Chairman Shcherbina. He has requested a scientist to work with him."

"Er... Deputy Chairman?"

"Yes. And maybe working there will help you decide if you should really be here."

Valery nods. He really has no say in the matter, nevermind how gently Gorbachev has conveyed the message. But a Deputy Chairman? It's all he can do to keep his knees from knocking as he leaves to gather his things.


	3. I have confidence in me...um, I think?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valery is not feeling confident...and then he meets the Deputy Chairman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I didn't mean to include so many (paraphrased) lines from the song, but they just fit Valery so perfectly!

Valery is just headed out of the building when he is stopped by Gorbachev's secretary. "I am supposed to let you know that Comrade Velikov is at Chernobyl filling in for you until your arrival."

Valery nods and continues on his way, but inwardly he is seething. 

_Velikov! His nemesis! And who knows how Velikov was undermining things! Or what he was telling the Deputy Chairman! This was bad news!_

Even without the unwelcome news about Velikov, Valery is not very confident about this assignment. He has no idea exactly what has happened at Chernobyl, since he arrived at the Kremlin too late to attend the meeting. And, although he knows a good bit about RBMK reactors, his specialty is actually chemistry, not nuclear physics.

It took the better part of the trip for Valery to regain some of his confidence back. The whole car ride to Chernobyl he had to keep up an internal pep talk.

_What will this day be like?_ _I wonder._ _I've always longed for a challenge, for a way to test my skills_ _._ _Now here I'm facing the chance to do so, so_ _why am I so scared?_

_A Deputy Chairman with several generals working under him!_ _What's so fearsome about that?_ _Oh, I must stop these doubts, all_ _these worries._  
 _If I don't I just know I'll make a fool of myself!_

_I just need some courage, th_ _e courage to serve them with reliance, fa_ _ce any mistakes I make, and not be afraid to stand up to them when they're not doing the right thing. And while I'm showing them I'm worthy, maybe I can start believing it myself._

_So, let this Shcherbina bring me all his problems._ _I'll do better than my best to help him._ _Somehow I will impress him and the Party!_ _And all those residents, those military men,_ _bless them, th_ _ey will respect me and follow my directions._

_With each step I am more certain, e_ _verything will turn out fine._ _I have confidence I can do this! I have confidence in..._

Valery's inner voice fades away. The car has arrived at the site. Not far from where he emerges there is a tall commanding figure with silver hair who can only be Deputy Chairman Shcherbina by the way he carries himself.

Not far off in the distance, a huge smoke plume is rising from the nuclear power plant, and debris is in evidence everywhere.

Shcherbina turns, spots Valery, and beckons him to his side. Valery gulps and hurries to join him while anxiously eyeing the damaged nuclear power plant.

\---------------------

Shcherbina glares at the disheveled man approaching. _Is this Legasov?_ The scientist is a mess, and nearly drops his papers as he walks up.

"Who are you?" barks Shcherbina in his raspy voice, hoping against hope he is mistaken about the man's identity.

"Professor Legasov," Valery offers, "I'm the scientist the Kremlin sent over."

Shcherbina raises one eye skeptically at this disaster of a man. "Turn around!"

"W-what?"

"Turn around! Don't make me say it again!"

Confused and cowed, Valery spins slowly, not understanding the reason for this inspection.

"I trust you have other suits?" Shcherbina asks, exasperated.

"What? Er...no, there wasn't time. I rushed here as soon as I got my assignment."

"Well, we'll have to order you some more. You'll be part of the group that makes presentations to the Kremlin and I can't have you dressed like that. Really, fatigues would be better than what you've got on. Now, come meet some of the other men who are working here."

There are a distressing amount of names to remember, although two generals, Pikalov and Tarakanov, stand out. (In fact, Valery remembers Tarakanov from his work at the Kremlin, a friendly fellow who actually seems to like Valery, unlike most of the scientist's coworkers. After the introductions, Shcherbina nods and the others return to their duties.

"Er...Deputy Chairman? When will the men be issued face masks?"

"Face masks? Why do they need face masks?" Shcherbina asks skeptically.

Valery indicates the plume of smoke rising from the destroyed reactor. "That's radioactive material going into the air. The men shouldn't be breathing it in!"

Shcherbina sighs. _So it's going to be like this, is it?_ "Comrades Brukhanov and Fomin assure me that there is no danger. The roof is on fire, but the reactor is intact."

Valery squares his shoulders and gets ready for a fight. "Even from here I can see black shiny material on the ground. That can only be graphite, which is on'y used in the core. Which means that the core has exploded, in which case, the smoke is carrying radioactive materials into the air and the men _do_ need face masks!"

Shcherbina glances in the direction Valery is indicating. There is some shiny black debris on the ground; he can see it. "But they assured me the readings aren't that high, so the core can't be exposed. Now you're telling me it is, so how do we verify this?"

Pikalov has approached with a question while they talked, and speaks up at this moment. "We've just gotten in the high range dosimeter. I'll go and check on it myself."

Boris nods, satisfied and turns to Valery. "We'll see what the readings are, but even then we'll have to order the masks, and supplies have been coming in slowly. By the way, I assume it's okay to call you Legasov?"

"Of-of course. And what should I call you?"

"Deputy Chairman Shcherbina, of course." Shcherbina spins on his heel and walks away.


	4. A few of my favorite things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valery's favorite things have changed apparently.

Valery was still stewing some hours later. The men needed face masks and they needed them right away! His sour mood was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Tarakanov stood there holding several new suits. Valery gaped. "What? How? It's only been a few hours!"

The general smiled. "When the Deputy Chairman is determined to do something, he makes it happen."

"Yeah, well, then why is it taking so long to get face masks for the men?" Valery demanded.

Tarakanov sighed. "Valery, that has to go through the Kremlin. Deputy Chairman Shcherbina has a lot of clout, but he can't do everything immediately."

"And yet he got my suits pretty quickly, I see." Valery was practically sulking.

Tarakanov shook his head. Patiently, he tried to explain, "Valery, the Kremlin didn't authorize these suits. Shcherbina paid for them out of his own pocket. He called his personal tailor to have them ready as soon as possible."

Valery blinked slowly, his head reeling. _. Boris had paid for these suits himself. But, they must have cost a fortune!_

Tarakanov smiled to himself seeing Valery's reaction. Valery hadn't known Boris that long, didn't know how he was. "Well, anyway, let me have your old suit. It's to be thrown out."

Valery sputtered. "What?! No! This is my best suit! And it would be wasteful!"

Tarakanov raised one eyebrow. " _Was_ your best suit. But, keep it if you must. I do suggest you change into one of these new ones though."

Valery nodded and shut the door. He undressed, still thinking of the facemasks, and the waste of his best suit. Really, even if proper masks couldn't be had right away, even some sort of cloth would be better than nothing. He looked at his old suit again. Cloth...it wouldn't make that many masks, but it was a start!

He was still standing in his trunks and vest when the door burst open. 

"Legasov! Let's see how you look!" It was Shcherbina. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Valery's half dressed state.

"Why aren't you dressing?" he asked, striding forward.

Valery went beet red. Even a decent suit did little to hide his chunkiness. Trunks and a vest hid nothing! His belly was barely covered by the worn out vest, and his chunky arse was rather evident.

His nightmare got worse when Shcherbina came up and began fingering his threadbare vest.

"I see I'll need to call in another order ,but no matter. Let's get one of these on and see how well it fits. I had to go by estimate alone, but for the next set we'll get proper measurements."

Valery swallowed. _Who would be taking the measurements? Shcherbina?_ Just the thought deepened Valery's blush.

Boris proceeded to dress Valery, his hands touching the scientist frequently. They buttoned, and they zipped, they patted and they smoothed. In short those hands drove Valery nuts. And yet, when Boris was done, Valery yearned for more.

Boris had Valery stand in front of the mirror, one hand resting companionably on Valery's shoulder.

"I think I did pretty well, if I say so myself," Boris declared. "And look, the suit flatters you!". 

To Valery's alarm, Boris' hands ran across his belly, then tested the fabric across his bum. _Oh my! I think I might faint!_

"Yes, a fine estimate! You cut a fine figure, Legasov!"

A shy smile crept across Valery's face. He didn't get many compliments, and they were usually about his intelligence. They were never about his appearance.

Boris noticed the shy smile and chuckled. "More of that wouldn't hurt either. Well, I've got a briefing with Pikalov. I'll fill you in later."

And he was gone, just like that. Valery sank down on the bed. _What just happened?_

_\----------------------_

He must have dozed off, because he was woken by a loud crash. His first thought was that there had been another explosion in Reactor 4, but at the sound of rain drumming on the roof, he realized it was just a spring thunderstorm. Which was fine, except thunderstorms terrified him. When he was a boy, lightning had struck not far from where he huddled under a tree. He hadn't been harmed, but the eerie feel of his hair standing up had made him hate thunderstorms ever since then.

Now he sat on the bed, rocking back and forth. He remembered his mother telling him all those years ago to try and think of pleasant things when he was scared. She had even taught him a song... something about kittens and whiskers and packages...

Valery laid down on the bed and closed his eyes, singing the tune softly to himself. But somehow kittens morphed into tall silver haired men, whiskers changed into light touches by a set of hands, and packages? He tried in vain not to picture Shcherbina's package.

Eventually he succumbed to sleep, his dreams filled with Shcherbina, who kept running his hands over Valery's body. The gradually diminishing rumbles of thunder became Shcherbina's raspy voice, talking into his ear.


	5. Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valery gets creative. He revisits his role as chemistry professor.

Valery bounded out of bed the next morning, anxious to see Boris. All night long he had dreamt of his touch, and, although he could not yet admit it to himself, he was hoping to elicit more of the same today. He carefully shaved and tried to wrangle his unruly hair into something presentable. 

Then, he put on one of the new suits. The fabric was smooth against his skin, not scratchy like his old suits had always been. Of course Boris would buy only suits made of the best fabric!

His anxiousness barely contained, he showed up at the work trailer early only to be disappointed. Boris had apparently gone to Moscow and might be gone for a few days. Pikalov didn't know many details, but Boris had a meeting with Velikov, among other obligations.

Valery walked over to the map and stared at it intently for several minutes. Tears prickled at his eyes and he didn't want Pikalov to see. _He's meeting with Velikov? Why? Is he not happy with me? Come on, Valery, pull yourself together. What, are you jealous? You've barely gotten to know Boris and this is how you act? Just because the man bought you a few suits, and touched you affectionately? He's probably like that with everyone._

What to do now? Valery went back to his room and began fashioning facemasks out of his old suit. By the end of the day, he had used all the fabric, creating some 20 masks. He then hunted down Pikalov and Tarakanov, giving them the masks for distribution among the men except for one he kept for himself.

"Valery," Pikalov broke in, much impressed with the masks, "we're surveying some of the areas west of the reactor tomorrow. Would you like to accompany us?"

Valery, pleasantly surprised at being included, agreed to come. The men would be out all day and planned to bring food with them, but Valery didn't care. Boris wasn't due back until the evening at the earliest.

The next day he donned a pair of fatigues and hung his mask around his neck. (One of Boris' new suits wouldn't do for this outing.). He joined Pikalov in a Jeep as the group headed out.

All morning long, they worked hard, taking readings of the radioactivity in the area and watching for any pieces of debris that might have been thrown out this far from the reactor.

Finally, about midday they moved away from the worst area and sat on the ground eating lunch. After their meal, the talk turned to how nuclear power worked, and Valery suddenly found himself giving an impromptu lecture. But many of the men didn't even know simple chemistry, so Valery tried to think of a way to explain the basics.

"Look," he said to the men, "the elements are the basic building blocks of all matter, right?" Most of the men had blank looks on their faces. Valery sighed. "Alright, when you're learning to read, you start off with...?"

Like dutiful schoolboys, the men recited, "ah, beh, veh..."

Valery smiled. "Right. So the elements of the periodic table are like the alphabet. The different elements, like the letters of the alphabet are used to make words, make up all matter. See? The most basic elements are at the beginning of the periodic table: hydrogen, helium, and lithium. Also common are carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and many others..."

Valery was a good teacher, and the men listened attentively as he explained reactions, molecules, and radioactive elements. But soon it was time to go back to work, the lecture over.

Finally, the day of work finished, the men traveled back to camp. Like all people who share a day of labor, a sense of companionship pervaded the company. Valery also found himself included in their fellowship. It was a new experience for him. Even back at Kurchatov, he had never known such camaraderie, usually keeping to himself. As they rode back, there was much joking and laughing, and some joshed Valery goodnaturedly by singing, "ah, beh, veh...."

None of them noticed the jeep that passed them on the way back, which carried a very tired Shcherbina. He however, noticed a group of men with cloth facemasks, although he did not recognize them in their dusty, dirty condition.

"Who are those men?" Boris barked at his driver. "And what are those ridiculous contraptions they are wearing for masks?".

The driver shrugged, anxious not to be a victim of Shcherbina's irritability. "Maybe some local peasants, sir?"

Boris made a face and settled back in his seat. He just wanted to get back and see Valery...oh, and hear the daily reports, of course. That man was growing on him.

Boris had just exited the jeep when the "peasants" returned. They were a loud bunch, and several hung off their jeeps as they pulled up. 

Valery was in a rare giddy mood. New friends and the thought of seeing Boris that evening (he hoped!), had him beaming ear to ear. Indeed, the last mile or so, he had stood up in the Jeep and was directing the men in some nonsensical song combining the alphabet and the periodic table. 

As they pulled up, Valery turned and made as if to climb down from his perch. Just then he saw a disgruntled looking Boris standing by as the raucous group parted ways and returned to their tents. Startled, and a bit alarmed at the thunderous look on Boris' face, Valery missed a step and fell, hitting the ground hard and landing badly on his wrist.

Boris was by his side in an instant, gently holding him down when he tried to rise. "Lie still, Valery," he chided. His expensive silk handkerchief from Vienna was pressed to Valery's temple, staunching the blood from a cut.

Valery obeyed gladly, cradling his left wrist with his other hand.

"What's the matter with your wrist?", Boris asked concernedly.

"I - I'm not sure. It hurts, a lot. I may have broken it."

No sooner had those words left Valery's mouth then Boris had scooped him up in his arms and was carrying him to the medic tent. As the medic began examining Valery's wrist, Boris' attention was drawn to the cloth mask.

"Whatever is that, Valery?"

"Oh, well, we needed some masks right away, and Tarakanov said you wanted me to throw out my old suit, but I didn't want to let it go to waste, so I..."

Valery's voice drifted off at the look of incredulity on Boris' face.

"Whatever am I going to do with you, Valera?"

As Valery began to drift off in response to the painkiller the medic had given him, a small smile crept onto his face. His last thoughts were of Boris calling him Valera.


	6. The Metamorphosis of Boris Shcherbina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boris begins to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter as I get back into the swing of things after the holidays...

Valery was confined to bed rest for several days, much to his annoyance, but Boris wouldn't have it any other way. Worse yet, he had to use his left hand to smoke his cigarettes, (a most awkward endeavor at best), as his right wrist was the one that was broken. A soldier stood near the entrance of the tent, faced away from Valery to provide at least a modicum of privacy, but Valery suspected that Boris had stationed the man there to make sure Valery didn't drop his cigarette from his clumsy left hand and set the bed on fire.

The enforced rest was driving Valery mad. He tried to read the reports that came in, but that only frustrated him all the more as he couldn't do much to act on them. Boris did come by as much as he could, including Valery in the news and seeking his advice, but he was very busy handling things and Valery didn't get to see him nearly as much as he would have liked. In the evening, when Boris was most likely to visit, Valery would stubbornly keep talking, dreading the moment when Boris would decide it was time to leave and let Valery sleep. Boris, sensing Valery's determination to stay awake and talk all night, took to stroking Valery's hair until the scientist drifted off, at which point he would tiptoe out.

Not having much to do, Valery spent a good part of the day observing, most of which could only be done by listening to what was going on outside his tent. His ears eternally strained for Boris' distinctive raspy voice giving orders, which always prompted a smile to appear on the scientist's face. Those moments were only very occasional throughout the day, but Valery lived for each one of them.

His scientific mind, always at work, began to pick up on a crucial change over time, however...

\--------------------------------------------

When Valery had first arrived, he had been shocked at the sternness of Boris towards the military men assisting with the cleanup. The second day, upon noting Valery's expression at Boris' demeanor, Pikalov pulled him aside.

"He wasn't always like that, you know. Shcherbina was a military man for the first part of his life and he always held great affection for those who served in the military, even after becoming a party man. Then it all changed. He became stern and strict with the men and did not allow himself to engage in any of their camaraderie."

"What happened that made him change?" Valery asked, saddened deeply by Pikalov's account.

"I don't know for certain, but there was a young man who Boris particularly looked after much as he would have with a son, if he had ever married and had a family. The young lad was killed during a test exercise. It was a freak accident, and should never have happened, but no one was really to blame. But it destroyed Boris. He was never the same after that, stopped talking and joking with the men. He withdrew emotionally, and has been like that ever since."

Valery nodded at this insight into Boris. He'd always wondered why Boris was the way he was.

\----------------------------------------

Thinking back on that day, Valery realized that something had changed, even based on the rare times during the day when he was in earshot of Boris' voice. Boris was still gruff, but there was a subtle nuance of tenderness that hadn't been there before, and as Valery neared the end of his imposed bed rest, that tender side of Boris seemed to come out more and more.

Pikalov entered the tent on the last day Valery was to be confined, catching the scientist as he was listening to Boris actually exchanging pleasantries with some of the soldiers. Pikalov noticed Valery's distracted look and stopped to listen as well so as to determine what was so engrossing to Valery. Then he nodded.

"That would be your doing, Valery," he said with a crooked smile. When Valery looked up at him with a puzzled look on his face, Pikalov explained. "Ever since you fell and broke your wrist that night, Boris has been becoming more like his old self. Was it his concern for you? Probably, for the most part. Seeing you enjoying the soldiers' company as you all returned to camp no doubt also made him miss the old days. And the fact that the men came running when you were hurt and showed almost as much concern for you as Boris was showing really affected him too, I think. Unless I miss my guess, he has remembered what it is like to care again, and it's all because of you, Valery."

Valery blushed slightly and shook his head. "No, that can't be. Boris tolerates me because I've been somewhat successful at solving problems at Chernobyl, that's all."

Pikalov smiled down at the man. "Sure, if you say so." Then he walked out of the tent, chuckling to himself.

Boris came in some time later to a very sleepy Valery, who woke to find Boris lifting him up and putting something around his neck.

"Boris? Oh!" Valery realized he had just called Boris by his first name, but when Boris didn't blink an eye, he squinted down to see what Boris had placed around his neck. It was a proper face mask.

"I thought I had better rush that order in, so now they've arrived at last. I'm sorry I didn't make it more of a priority sooner."

Valery blinked. Boris was apologizing to him? He must be dreaming.

"Now Valera, the medic says your wrist is healing nicely, so you can start resuming your duties. But take it easy. I don't want you getting hurt again. Oh, and Velikov is coming down here for May Day, says he wants to have some sort of celebration for the holiday to keep the men's spirits up. I expect you to come as well. The men will not understand if you don't come. And, well, that is, I would like you to come too."

At the mention of Velikov's name, Valery's expression had soured, and he scowled at hearing about the plans for a party. A party? At Chernobyl? But seeing Boris' hopeful look in his direction, he could only smile and agree to come. How could he say no to Boris? And maybe he could keep Velikov from sinking his claws any deeper into Boris.

"I'll come, Boris, but I won't dance. That would be a disaster only slightly less worse that Chernobyl itself."

Boris barked a laugh at that. "Oh, but I did so hope to show you one of my native Ukrainian dances, Valera! No matter, maybe I'll show Velikov instead!" This last was said teasingly, and produced the desired effect Boris had been hoping for.

"Oh no you will not!" he shouted, eyes flashing. "You'll show me, not him, but I'm warning you, it won't be pretty." (This last was said with a sigh, Valery's jealousy deflating.)

"Ah, Valerka, I'll be right there. I won't let any harm come to you." Boris leaned in and touched his forehead to Valery's, then brushed his lips against Valery's hair. "Now get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

Valery drifted off to thoughts of Boris whirling him around in a frantic folk dance, followed by a seemingly unending procession of dances one after the other. As each dance ended, he would breathlessly insist he needed to rest, whereupon Boris' lips would brush his forehead, his hair, his cheek, always coming tantalizingly close to his mouth before Boris would whisk him away into another, even more intense dance. Valery lay sleeping, a silly smile plastered on his face as he dreamed, ever hoping for that elusive kiss.


	7. The Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are becoming more obvious to others.

Valery stood in front of the mirror in his room, trying to make himself look presentable for the dance. Finally, he stepped back discouraged. It was no good. No matter how he tried, he couldn't even approach the elegance that was Boris. He had his best suit on, but he still looked like the disheveled scientist he was. Well, it would have to do. Maybe no one would notice. There were a number of bigwigs coming to the dance under the pretense of seeing what progress was being made at Chernobyl. Hopefully he could fade into the background. And of course Boris would be busy entertaining them, despite his insisting Valery come so he could dance with him.

Valery made his way to the hall where the meal and dancing would happen. He looked everywhere for Boris, and finally spotted him across the large room. Sure enough, Boris was surrounded by various apparatchiks from Moscow, including Velikov. Valery flushed with anger. Velikov was dressed impeccably. No wonder Boris would rather spend time with him!

Fighting back tears, Valery wandered off into one of the side rooms. Some of the soldiers were dancing with each other, lacking partners of the female variety, and in an attempt to distract himself from Boris' being with Velikov, Valery concentrated on the men's movements.

Valery Legasov loved music of all sorts. When no-one else was around he often was humming some tune or other under his breath. But, as much as he loved music, Valery didn't dance. He had two left feet, and any attempt to cut the rug invariably led to disaster. Still, on the off chance Boris would make good on his promise to dance with Valery, maybe he should try and learn a few steps?

So, staying in one corner of the room (where at least he couldn't hurt anyone else), he cautiously began moving his feet in imitation of the other men. Surprisingly, he only stumbled once or twice, although that might have been mainly due to the fact that he left his feet on the floor as much as possible, sliding them along to the music.

He looked up in surprise when one of the soldiers approached him and asked him to dance. "Er... I'm not that good, I mean, I'm only just learning..."

The soldier waved his protests off and took him in hand, leading him through the dance. Surprisingly enough, Valery only stumbled twice and tread on the man's toes four times, but his partner, already rather intoxicated, persisted.

Suddenly two large hands rested on Valery's shoulders, effectively ending the dance. A gruff voice said from behind Valery, "Excuse me, Comrade, but may I cut in?"

The unknown partner waved and tottered off. Valery spun around to see Boris behind him, smiling. A blush crept up Valery's neck at Boris' closeness. Boris really wanted to dance with him?

Valery opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by Boris. "Oh no, Valera, I promised to teach you a Ukrainian folk dance, remember?"

Valery nodded mutely. The next moment Boris' arms were wrapped around him and he was pulled snugly against Boris' chest. Valery had never noticed the muscles in Boris' arms and chest before. (He'd been unconscious when Boris carried him to the medical tent.). For the first time in his life, Valery felt totally safe, even from himself. Even if he had fainted dead away, Boris' arms would have kept him upright, so stumbling no longer seemed a cause for worry.

For the next little while, Boris walked Valery through the steps if the dance. It seemed this dance had multiple occasions where the lead spun their partner out away from them then swiftly reeled them back in, so that the two dancers were suddenly thrust against each other. And every time this happened, Valery found his face scant inches from Boris', their lips so close to touching that Valery found himself wishing Boris would miscalculate just once. He longed to feel Boris' lips pressed against his, and couldn't care less what the other party goers might think.

And every time he was spun back into Boris' body, every time he felt Boris' body pressed into him, his knee pushing between his legs to guide Valery in the next steps, that need ramped up more. But then the music stopped, and Boris and Valery stood just barely apart, Valery flushed and breathless, and Boris with a gleam in his eye, while hardly showing any signs of exertion himself.

A sound of clapping came from the doorway of the room. Ryzhkov stood looking at the two of them, giving Valery a scornful look.

"I'd better go." Valery stuttered, head down as he practically dashed around Boris and Ryzhkov and out the door. From there he headed out of the hall and back to the work trailer, planning to do some more work away from the party.

Settled at his desk, and just starting to regain his composure, he barely heard the door open. Ryzhkov stood there a moment before approaching him.

"Well, it seems like our Deputy Chairman has taken quite a liking to you, Legasov."

W-what do you mean?"

"Oh come now, everyone noticed the two of you dancing and the way he was looking at you. When Boris wants something, he's pretty direct about getting it."

"No, oh no, he was just showing me a folk dance from Ukraine!" Valery protested.

Ryzhkov sneered. "Legasov, if you think you're fooling anyone, you're crazy. Boris has asked for you to be permanently assigned to his commission. He's obviously smitten with you!"

Legasov watched as Ryzhkov walked out the door of the trailer, a smug look on his face. This was no good! He had to head back to Moscow immediately and ask for another assignment. If others had noticed...! And Ryzhkov, no matter how Valery despised him, should by rights be on that commission, not him. It would draw undue attention!

Scribbling a quick.note to Boris, he gathered his things and went to find a soldier who could drive him back to Kurchatov.


	8. Climb Every Smokestack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valery has run away, but Gorbachev sends him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not as much Boris in this chapter, but a necessary transition.

Valery wanted to head straight back to Kurchatov, but he knew that to do so would only delay the inevitable. Thus, he dutifully asked the driver to take him to the Kremlin first, his stomach churning at the thought of facing Gorbachev.

His expectations were not disappointed. Gorbachev greeted him with alarm at first.

"What is it, Legasov? Has there been another crisis? And why isn't Boris here as well?"

Valery stood with his head down, his hands clenched in front of him. Screwing up his nerve, he told Gorbachev how he had decided to leave Chernobyl and let Velikov work with Shcherbina.

"Legasov, I assigned _you_ to work with the Deputy Chairman, not Velikov. You are running away from your responsibilities!"

"But...but the Deputy Chairman obviously prefers to work with Velikov.". Valery felt despair rise up within himself all over again. How hard it was to give voice to those words!

"Legasov, that cannot be true! Every time Shcherbina has come to the Kremlin to give a report, every time we've spoken on the phone, he tells me how much he values your knowledge. How he could not solve the problems of Chernobyl without you!"

Valery desperately hoped Gorbachev wouldn't notice the blush creeping up his neck and reddening his cheeks. Boris had said those things to Gorbachev? But then he sagged again. No, Velikov had been right, much as it galled him to admit it. It was best if he stay away from Boris, even if the thought evoked a bleak and lonely future.

"Legasov, what is it? Why are you determined to leave? Did Shcherbina get too rough with you? I know he has a temper. Is that what it is?"

Valery could only shake his head at Gorbachev's question. As much as he felt it was for the best to leave Chernobyl, he could never blame Boris.

Gorbachev walked over to the window in his office where cheerful sunbeams streamed into the room. "Then, Legasov, you need to return to Chernobyl and finish what you started. I am counting on you to solve this crisis. Climb every smokestack, turn over every piece of graphite if you have to, but solve this problem, lest it be the death of us all."

Valery nodded his acquiescence and turned to leave.

"And Legasov?" Gorbachev waited for Valery to turn around. "I don't know what is going on between you and Shcherbina, but you were assigned to work together, and I expect you to work together until the end."

Valery walked out slowly. He wondered if the end would be when Chernobyl's crisis was resolved, or if it would come when Boris and he succumbed to the radiation slowly killing them.

\-------------------

The men noticed the difference in Boris. Pikalov and Tarakanov were particularly aware of the change that had come over him after he found Valery's note in the trailer. His charisma with the men had vanished and no matter how much they tried to draw him back into their camaraderie, their efforts failed.

One night, an impromptu dance broke out around the tents after the workday. The men pulled Boris over to join them, but it was obvious he was only going through the motions. Velikov, too, found Boris reluctant to engage in small talk.

Then, one night later they were seated around the worksite enjoying the spring air. Boris knew he should be in his hotel room, away from the radiation as much as possible, but he didn't care. Valery had left him! He hadn't even said goodbye! But why? Could he have read the signals wrong at the dance?

From down the road, a set of headlights appeared. Boris looked over at Pikalov and Tarakanov, an unspoken question in his look. They both shrugged; they weren't expecting anyone.

Boris approached the jeep which had stopped. Valery? Without hesitating Boris ran up and wrapped his arms around Valery, holding him in a vise-like grip. 

Valery tried to wriggle away, even as every fiber of his being cried out to hug Boris back. Giving up on any thoughts of escaping the bear hug, he snuggled into Boris' chest, surrendering to his desire.

Some minutes passed before Boris released him. Looking intensely at Valery, he accused, "You left me! You didn't even say goodbye! No explanation, no anything! Just _I have to return to Kurchatov._ Why did you leave?"

Valery twisted his hands. He could never tell Boris about what Velikov had said. "I think Velikov will work well with you."

Boris drew back, his gaze piercing Valery's dissembling. He couldn't be serious! He had not imagined Valery's reaction to his embrace. Too choked up with shock he curtly nodded, turned on his heel and stomped off.

Several hours later Boris and Velikov stood on the balcony of Boris' hotel room. Velikov was talking excitedly about some ideas he had for the cleanup, but Boris was not paying attention.

Down on the ground some little distance away, a middle-aged, ginger-haired and slightly chunky scientist stood gazing off towards the power plant. There was a full moon, and the light shone on Valery's slumped shoulders, reflecting off his glasses.

Velikov broke off in mid-sentence, following the line of Boris' gaze. "Boris," he said, grabbing his arm to break his focus on the below scene. "I'm going back to Moscow."

Boris grunted in surprise, coming out of his stupor. "But I thought you wanted to take over here?"

Velikov grimaced. "I did. But I see now that you and Legasov are the ideal team. And somewhere down there is a man who I think will never be content to just return to Kurchatov. Goodbye, Boris."

Boris watched him go then hurried to join the scientist bathed in the moon's rays.


End file.
